Bronchitis and pneumonia can feel similar, but pneumonia is usually more severe and needs faster medical care. There is no way to be completely sure which one you have at home, so a clinician’s exam (and often a chest X‑ray) is needed to tell the difference.
Typical bronchitis signs
- Strong cough that may start dry and then bring up clear, yellow, or green mucus.
- Mild fever or just feeling run‑down, with chest tightness or wheezing but usually not severe breathing trouble at rest.
- Often comes with “cold‑like” symptoms such as runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, and body aches.
Typical pneumonia signs
- Higher, more persistent fever, often with chills and feeling very ill.
- Shortness of breath that feels worse than with a common chest cold, and sharp chest pain, especially when breathing deeply or coughing.
- Cough with mucus similar to bronchitis, but combined with the more serious fever, chest pain, and breathing problems above.
Key differences overview
Feature| More typical of bronchitis| More typical of pneumonia
---|---|---
Fever| None or low‑grade.15| Higher, persistent.46
Breathing at rest| Uncomfortable but usually manageable.39| Clearly short of
breath, may struggle to speak in full sentences.68
Chest pain| Tightness or soreness from coughing.13| Sharp, stabbing pain with
deep breaths.68
Overall feeling| “Bad chest cold,” tired but not acutely very ill.38| Very
sick, often with chills and weakness.468
Diagnosis| Based on symptoms and exam.35| Often needs chest X‑ray to
confirm.56
When to get urgent help
Seek emergency or same‑day care right away if you have:
- Trouble breathing, breathing fast, or struggling to speak because of shortness of breath.
- Chest pain, especially sharp pain with breathing, or a feeling like you “can’t catch your breath.”
- Blue or gray lips or face, confusion, very high fever, or symptoms that suddenly get worse.
What you should do now
Because bronchitis and pneumonia overlap and only an exam (and sometimes an X‑ray) can clearly tell them apart, contact a doctor or urgent care if you have a cough lasting more than a week, any fever with chest symptoms, or any trouble breathing. If you describe your exact symptoms (how high your fever is, how hard it is to breathe, how long it has lasted), a clinician can decide whether you need an in‑person visit, imaging, or treatment like inhalers or antibiotics.
